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Neil Anderson's Formula For Spiritual Defeat
Bondage Maker Psuedo-believers and reversionistic believers never run out of evil invention. They are like the Athenians at the Areopagus who spent their time in hearing and preaching the latest things they have invented (Acts 17:21). The non-doctrinal and grace oriented religious preachers of our time are inventing their own doctrines related to salvation, approbation of God, acceptable service or just anything with "spiritual connotation". Neil Anderson is the most popular teacher of spiritual warfare. Anderson was the chairman of the Practical Theology Department at Talbot School of Theology of Biola University. He has written several books on this subject, including: The Bondage Breaker; The Seduction of Our Children; Victory over the Darkness; Released from Bondage; and Walking Through the Darkness. He also travels the country giving his "Freedom in Christ" seminars. We will deal with Anderson's teachings as representative of the whole group. In 1990, Neil Anderson came out with his "novel approaches for dealing with human sins and problems of life, which he called "Spiritual Warfare". Spiritual Warfare became gained a worldwide acceptance and became an open alternative for Bible doctrine. Neil Anderson's Bondage Breaker gained an opposed acceptance due to several factors:
A closer look into Neil Anderson's teaching: Demons possessed Christians The spiritual warfare teachers make a big deal out of the Greek word often translated, "demon possessed" in the New Testament. The word itself simply means "to be demonized." Somehow this definition is supposed to soften the concept of a Christian being possessed by a demon. For example, Neil Anderson says that it means to be controlled by a demon and is a matter of degrees. However, the New Testament never uses the term for anything less that to be indwelt by a demon. It is never used to describe Satan's activity of accusing the brethren, temptation, deception or persecution. So, no matter how we translate the word "daimonizomai," it is always used exclusively of those indwelt by demons. Neil Anderson to proof that Christian can be demonized relied heavily on C. F. Dickenson apostate teachings. When asked "Can a Christian be demon possessed; that is, indwelt and controlled by a demon?" C.F. Dickenson, in his book Demon Possession and the Christian, devotes serious study to this question. He deals with every major portion of Scripture on the subject and then concludes: "We have found that though there is a great deal of information to consider, and though men adduce evidence of varying weight, yet we could not come to a definite conclusion. . . . We have sought evidence from biblical and theological considerations on whether Christians can be demonized (p149). In other words, according to Dr. Dickenson, the same Scriptures that claim to provide everything we need for life and godliness (II Pet. 1:3), is inadequate to deal with this important subject. According to Dickenson, God neglected to include in His Word instructions for victory over one of the Christian's most powerful enemies. So where are we to turn? Dickenson reassures us that we can look to experience with confidence. He admits that, "The danger of basing our theology on experience is evident." Yet, since God's Word does not address the subject of the demonization of Christians, the spiritual warfare teachers have felt free to develop a whole system of demonic warfare based on the supposed experiences of people. It is interesting to know that the most popular term “daimonizomai” translated to English as demon possession is not found in the Scripture but used by Josephus (Antiquities 8.47). The common Synoptic construction is daimonion echein translated "to have a demon". Demonic possession in the Synoptic accompanies physical and mental affliction attributable to the possession, nakedness, metal anguish, and masochism (Matt. 8:28-33; Mark 5:1-10; Luke 8:26-39); inability to speak (Matt. 9:32; 12:22); blindness (Matt. 12:22); lunacy (Matt. 4:24; 17:15; Mark 9:17). Other noticeable characteristics of those who were demon possessed include superior or supernatural knowledge (James 2:19), the ability to foretell the future (Acts 16:16), and superior or uncontrollable strength (Matt. 8:28; 17:15; Acts 19:16). The cultic rite of exorcism took on a variety of forms such as prayer, fasting, laying on of hands, burning of roots, or the sprinkling of holy water. One crucial and vital element to the cultic exorcism was the invocation of the name of Jesus Christ until the demons leave the demon-possessed was popularized by Tertullian (155-220 A.D.). He claimed that demon would tell the truth about himself and was made to obey the commands of the exorcist (Apology 6, 23). The cults incorporated exorcistic (demon expelling) or apotropaic (demon repelling) rites into their ecclesiastical rituals of exorcism. Prior to baptism into Catholicism, a candidate might endure certain rituals designed to cleanse him from demonic infestation associated either with "original sin" or idolatry and the eating of food offered to idols (Clementine Recognitions 21.71). Consider these Biblical principles: study the following passages
Why do some believe that the Christian can be demonized? Illusionary real experience -- Stories, some of them quite incredible, dominate the field. The theory seems to be that if someone has had an experience, no matter how absurd or unbiblical, it must be from God. This is "Story Theology" which has the predominated the Christian churches. The tele-evangelists (such as Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Jimmy Swaggard, Rex Humbard, Pat Robertson, Max Lucado, Tony Campolo, Stuart Briscoe and many others) are known story tellers of their encountered with God. Story theology can lift-up the most Bible doctrine starved and the most carnal Christian into the pedestal of illusionary spirituality or psuedo-spiritual maturity. The influence of psychology -- My problems can't be my fault. There must be a solution, outside of the Scriptures. This is the same view of the Scriptures that supports and upholds Christian psychology. Christian psychology is not biblically supported, it has not basis and it is not grounded in the Word of God. The members of the royal family of God has no need for Christian psychologists. Christian counseling is not a ministry created by God. We have the Real Counselor. Blameshifting -- Anderson says, "Those who say a demon cannot control an area of a believer's life have left us with only two possible culprits for the problems we face: ourselves or God. If we blame ourselves we feel hopeless because we can't do anything to stop what we're doing. If we blame God our confidence in Him as our benevolent Father is shattered. Either way, we have no chance to gain the victory which the Bible promises us" (The Bondage Breaker, p.174). Since we can no longer blame ourselves for our own problems demons become handy scapegoats. The Bondage Breaker is 10% biblical and 90% non-biblical teachings: Anderson would be in agreement with the essential doctrines of the faith. In addition, he places special emphases on:
Neil Anderson claims that Christians can be demon posessed: Anderson makes the following statements. "It is my observation that no more than 15% of the evangelical Christian community is completely free from Satan's bondage" (Bondage, p.107). "Demonic influence is not an external force in the physical realm; it is the internal manipulation of the central nervous system" (p.111). "Anything bad which you cannot stop doing, or anything good which you cannot make yourself do, could be an area of demonic control" (p.179). To Anderson 85% of evangelical Christians are controlled to some degree by Satan. The exaggeration of Neil Anderson is ridiculous and unrealistic. Where did he get data for this kind of assertion.? Christians can be delivered from demonization: Anderson has discovered a means of deliverance for the demon-controlled Christian not from the pages of Scripture but from his the teaching if his doctrinally disoriented friend- C. F. Dickenson. Where did he find his program? Certainly not in Scripture -- remember the Bible apparently is unfamiliar with this problem. He didn't find it even in the traditions of the great saints of the past. As a matter of fact, no one in the history of the church has ever taught the methods developed by Anderson -- which tells us a couple of things:
Neil Anderson's formula in order to be free from demon-possession: Understanding our identity in Christ. Much of what Anderson teaches in this section has biblical perspective, however he deviates in two important areas: The authority of the believer. The argument runs like this: I am seated in the heavenlies in Christ. Christ has all power and authority. Therefore, I have Christ's power and authority. As a result, all Christians have authority over Satan and his demons. It should be obvious that the third premise above is not true. Anderson gives Luke 9 and 10 as proof texts. However, not only are these references to the pre-pentecostal believers (who were not in Christ), but, they are specific instructions to a specific group of people for a specific act. These passages have no reference to the church. Binding, loosing, commanding Satan and his demons. Anderson admits that there are no instructions in the epistles to cast out demons because (he says) it is the responsibility of every Christian to put on the armor of God, stand firm and resist the devil. The Scripture used as support is Matthew 12:29, but it is wrong to conclude that Christ was establishing a universal principal for binding evil spirits. Freedom from our past -- Anderson suggests an five -prong approach:
Neil Anderson's 3 dangerous and unscriptural presumptions related demonization:
Neil Anderson's Steps to freedom in Christ -- Satan will be defeated only if we confront him verbally (p.84):
EVALUATION OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE The Scriptures claim to provide everything we need for salvation and sanctification (I2 Timothy 3:16,17 and I2 Pet. 1:3). Yet, by the spiritual warfare teacher's own admission there exists no biblical evidence that a child of God can be demonized. If that is the case, then obviously the Scriptures provide no steps to freedom from demon possession. We are now being told that Neil Anderson and C. Fred Dickenson are providing for us what God's Word never does. Where are these men getting this information? From experience -- the same source that the charismatics get their unbiblical teachings. A. Not only is the spiritual warfare movement derived from extrabiblical sources, but it contradicts much of what the New Testament does tell us about demons. 1. In the epistles there are ten references to demons (mostly relating certain facts), but there are over fifty references to "the flesh" as the primary enemy of the Christian. The New Testament perspective is that the major area of conflict is in the arena of the flesh, not demonic influence. 2. Some are claiming that demons have names that reflect their influence. Names such as, "lust," "murder," "envy," "gossip," etc. Yet, nowhere in the Bible do we find any support for this teaching. Scripture explicitly says that these actions are a product of the flesh (e.g. Gal. 5:19-21). 3. Anderson claims that when we deal with demons it is a "truth encounter," not a "power encounter." However, when Jesus or the Apostles cast out demons it was always a power encounter. Never once did Jesus attempt to reason with a demonized individual. Never once did He call on them to believe the truth. He always forcibly cast demons out of such people. In addition, not a single person in the Gospels ever came to Jesus for deliverance from demons. The obvious reason being that when a demon controls someone, that person has lost his ability to choose right. The spiritual warfare teachers claim that demonized believers are coming to them for deliverance in great droves. 4. The spiritual warfare leaders do not understand the distinction between Jesus and the Apostles and the average Christian. Jesus' encounters with the demons were directly related to His claim to be the Messiah and His offer of the Kingdom. As for the Apostles, there are three occasions in which they cast out demons after Christ's ascension (Acts 8:5-8; 16:16-18; 19:11-12). The ability to do this was given to verify their appointments as Apostles (Mark 16:17; II Cor. 12:12). In the New Testament we do not find Christians casting out demons unless they were Apostles. However, even with the Apostles we do not find the casting out of demons to be a major part of their ministry. Instead, the norm for dealing with the demon-possessed was the presentation of the gospel. 5. It is interesting to realize that it is these very areas -- the ones the charismatics and the spiritual warfare people emphasize so heavily -- that Jesus singles out as proving nothing concerning our relationship to God (Matt. 7:21-23). Later Paul would even teach that satanically inspired people can produce miracles (II Thess. 2:9-12). 6. The bottom line is that this method of sanctification is taught nowhere in the Bible. We surely can trust our Lord to have included a means of demonic deliverance if it had been needed. Some additional unscriptural teachings of Bondage Breaker Binding Satan -- based on the misinterpretation of three passages: Matt. 12:29; 16; 19 and 18:18. The context however reveals that Matt. 12:29 was an illustration of Christ's personal power over Satan, not ours. Also, Matt. 16:19 and 18:18 are in the context of fulfilling God's will on earth, including church discipline. Rebuking the devil -- believers are never instructed to rebuke the devil or his demons. The New Testament views rebuking as the sole prerogative of Jesus (Jude 9). As a matter of fact, this is a mark of false prophets (II Pet. 2:4-12; Jude 8,9). Why do people rebuke the devil then? II Pet. 2:12 and Jude 10 says that they do so because they don't understand what they are doing. II Peter 2:10 suggests that they do so because of arrogance. Praying the blood -- This phrase or idea is found nowhere in the New Testament. Christ's blood delivers us from sin. Inherited curses -- four reasons why this is inaccurate:
Christian Exorcism -- This is a full course return to paganism. Believers are not vulnerable to demon possession since they have the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Only unbelievers are vulnerable to demon possession. There are 2 physical manifestations of demon possession:
3 BONA FIDE MEANS FOR REMOVAL OF DEMONS:
There is no Christian Exorcism in the Bible because exorcism is a pagan ritual. The Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples CAST OUT demons to authenticate their divine calling, (as proof of being servants of God) The Jews were looking for a sign of their calling. The Greek verb for CAST OUT is ekballo, which is used in all account when the Lord Jesus Christ or His disciples CAST OUT demons. The term exorcism is used in the Scripture in reference to cultic and demonic activities. The verb exorkizo, the derivative of English noun EXORCIST, and the Greek noun exorkistes, and its cognate verb horkizo, is used in reference to religious fakers who attempted to expel demons by uttering mysterious incantations (Acts 19:13-17, Matthew 7:22-23). The Bible used EXORCIST for pagan Jews who attempted to evict demons by religious oaths and rituals. Exorcism is never an indication of salvation or a sign of God*s approval or sign of spirituality. Exorcism and deliverance ministries are out of line with God*s plan. THE APPARENT SUCCESS of those who engage in exorcism can be attributed either to the cooperation of Satan to leave or direct involvement of demons to evacuate the body of a person, or just a big hoax. Pseudo Christians and religious unbelievers are using exorcism as a heretical sign of divine favor and Pseudo spirituality to deceive the ignorant of Bible doctrine. The Lord Jesus Christ warned that religious fakers who exorcise have no part with Him (Matthew 7:22-23). Even the devil is an exorcist. The entire ceremony and ritual of exorcism adapted and practice by so-called Christians today is not from the Scripture but from paganism cults. The rituals and ceremony of exorcism is quite different from the biblical method of casting out of demons. The entire ritual and rites of exorcism is contrary to biblical method of casting out demons. Demonism has nothing to do with material things. The demons are never afraid of material things that have no power by itself like the crucifix, holy water, baptism by sprinkle, and the sign of the cross. In the same way, genuine spirituality has nothing to do with our physical posture, with our position in the church, with the length of time as member of a church, or church involvement. These religious fakers (exorkistes) attempted to expel demons by uttering mysterious incantations and employ the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in commanding the demons to leave the body of the possessed can only succeed under the power of Satan. Spiritism in the recent years have tremendously increased and developed into a widely recognized *religious practice* Modern psychic phenomena such as levitation, apports, telekinesis, automatic writing, horoscope, astrology, extra sensory perception, and most psychic materializations activities are associated with demonic possession or demonic influence. Some ignorant Christians employs the confession of an individual's faith in Christ as Savior, the confession, repentance and renunciation of the occult involvement. It is notable that this emphasis on the deliverance from demonic possession is not consistent with the New Testament method of casting out demons. These reflect the open deviation from doctrinal truth of the Bible. The Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles simply commanded the demons to leave the bodies of the possessed who immediately obeyed. The rite of exorcism took on a variety of forms in the evangelical churches such as 40 days prayer and fasting, the laying on of hands by the church elders, the anointing of oil, and commanding the demons to leave in the name of Jesus Christ. The spiritual ability to cast out demons is no longer available to the Church Age believers because it is no longer needed, it has ceased and now consider as historical gift. Therefore, the power and ability to cast out demons today is definitely not from God, in the same way, the power to exorcist demons in the past and as well in the present is from Satan (Matthew 12:25-28). Some so called demon possession are actually mental illnesses or diseases. Church Age believers are not commanded to cast out demons, and in no way under obligation to hunt for demons. The goal and objective of our spiritual life is spiritual maturity and not to become "demons busters" or popular exorcist. There is no spiritual reward for casting out demons by the reversionists believers (Matthew 7:22-23). Exorcism is the manifestation of demonic power and casting out demons is the sign of deep rooted reversionism, ignorance of Bible doctrine, and showroom of arrogance. What is wrong with Neil Anderson's teaching:
J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine Ministries
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